Game



, Oct. 7, 1941.

Filed Dec. 18, 1939.

J. D. BELL INVENTOR,

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME Joseph D. Bell, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 18, 1939, Serial No. 309,856

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in games, and its principal object is to provide additions to certain well-known games, such as basket ball, whereby the hazards of the games are increased and diversified, and whereby several points of interest are created to attract the attention of the spectators.

My invention is particularly intended to be used in connection with basket ball, but it is apparent that the principles of the invention may be applied to many other games in which contending parties or teams strive for attaining a goal.

In basket ball, a field or contest area is provided, and baskets are supported at each end of the field at a suitable elevation to allow the players to throw a ball into and through the baskets from a distance. The players, as a rule, are divided into two teams, and a basket is assigned to each of them. The essence of the game is for each party to attempt to pass the ball through its respective basket while the other party opposes such attempts under various rules and regulations, which may differ in their details.

The interest of the spectators is naturally concentrated on the particular area where the contending parties are in action.

In the present invention it is proposed to provide two combat areas, which are interrelated in such a manner that the combat in one of the areas may change the course of events in the other area, and may, at the last moment, prevent a properly directed ball from passing through the basket.

More particularly, it is proposed to provide a movable closure for the basket and to also provide, preferably at a place remote from the basket, a light beam, which through the use of light sensitive means, controls the closure, so that when the light beam is intercepted by one of the players at the critical moment when the ball is about to pass through the basket, the closure suddenly moves into active position and deflects the ball.

Thus there will be two combat areas to engage the attention of the opposing teams, and to attract the interest of the spectators, namely the basket area and the light beam area.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds and the novel features thereof will be fully set forth in the claims hereto attached.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the playfield, with attending apparatus;

Figure 2, a top plan view of the basket mounting at one of the stations, with attending parts; and

Figure 3, a wiring diagram for my invention.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I wish to particularly point out that although I have described my invention in connection with the game of basket ball, it may readily be applied to many other games.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Figure 1 shows at I, a playfield, or contest area, which is preferably rectangular in form, and which may be arranged outdoors or indoors, as desired. It is usually laid off, or marked in certain ways to indicate position of players, and opposing areas for opposing teams, each of which usually comprises five players.

At each end of the field is provided a basket 2 arranged at an elevation of about 9 to ten feet, and projecting forward from a back board 3 supported on a post 4.

The basket has an open bottom and the object of the game is for each of the parties or teams to throw a ball so as to pass from above through its respective basket, the opposing team endeavoring to frustrate such attempt.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a movable closure for the basket which, when in position, prevents a ball, even though properly directed, from passing through the basket, and causes the same to bounce off. The closure may be of any suitable kind, and is here shown as an arm 5, which may be operated by a solenoid 6 to move between active and inactive positions.

When the solenoid is energized, as shown in the drawing, the arm 5 extends over the basket and prevents the entry of the ball. When the solenoid is de-energized, a spring I pulls the arm into inactive position where it clears the basket and allows the ball to enter.

The solenoid is controlled through a light beam 8 which is here shown as being projected from a light 9 across the field to strike a photo-electric tube H], which, through an amplifier I I and a relay circuit I2 works the solenoids at both stations. The solenoids are normally de-energized, but when the light beam is intercepted or broken by a player, the solenoids become energized, with the result that the arms 5 at both stations are thrust into position over the respective baskets.

The light 9 and the photo-electric cell I may be mounted on posts l4 and 15, which may be provided with flanges l6 and l! adapted to be secured to the floor or in inverted relation to the ceiling. I do not desire to confine myself to any particular location of the light beam, but in its preferred form, I arrange the same transversely across the field, and preferably at an elevation above the normal height of the players, but within reach of their arms and of their bodies when they raise the same by jumping or otherwise.

Th wiring diagram of Figure 2 shows a suitable circuit in which the source of light 9, the photo-electric cell circuit and the solenoids are connected to the same mains l8 and IS. The light 9 is connected through the wires 20 and 2 I, the photo-electric cell circuit through the wires 22 and23 and the solenoid through the wires 24 and 25. The circuit as shown causes even a momentary interception of the light beam, as by a passing .arm, to have its effect on the closure and suitable conventional time delay devices maybe arranged to cause delayed or sustained operation of the closure, depending upon the desire of the combatants, or rules of the game to be developed.

As an additional feature, I preferably provide a somewhat larger ring or frame 26 above the basket, preferably spaced therefrom by a few feet to give the player throwing the ball the choice of merely hitting the basket or of throwing the ball high enough to cause the latter to first pass through the frame 28.

If the player chooses to pass the ball first through the frame 26, he incurs, of course, a greater hazard because it takes greater skill to direct theball, and also because he gives his opponents a better chance to intercept the light beam and to throw the arm over the basket at the critical moment, and he therefore should be rewarded by a higher score.

The manner of using my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description. More particularly the invention will have the eilect of creating two centers of interests for both players and spectators. While one group of players will be engaged in combat about one of the basket areas, another group will be engaged about the light beam, the players of one team cooperating in attempting to pass the ball through the basket and to prevent interference with the light beam, whereas the players of the other team will attempt to frustrate the properthrowing of the ball and will attempt to break the light beam at the critical moment when a ball is about to drop into the basket.

I claim: 1. In a game of the character described, a contest area for opposing parties, an apparatus comprising a basket adapted to receive a ball when thrown by one of the parties, means for closing the basket against the ball, and means remote from the basket and operable by the players subject to contest for actuating the basketclosing means to prevent the ball from entering the same.

' 2. In a game of the character described, a contest area for opposing parties, an apparatus comprising a basket adapted to receive a ball when thrown by one of the parties from the contest area, means for closing the basket against the ball, means for throwing a light beam across the contest area and light-sensitive means operable by interception of the light beam for actuating the basket-closing means.

3. In a game of the character described, a contest area for opposing parties, a basket, means for supporting the basketat an elevation so as to allow a player to throw. a ball into the basket, a ring supported above the basket and in spaced relation thereto allow a ball to be guided therethrough before entering the basket and means movable between the ring and the basket for intercepting a ball having passed through the ring for preventing passage through the basket.

4. In a game of the character described, a contest area for opposing parties, a basket, means for supporting the basket at an elevation so as to allow a player to throw a ball into the basket, a ring supported above the basket and in spaced relation thereto to allow a ball to be guided therethrough before entering the basket, means movable between th ring and the basket for intercepting a ball having passed through the ring for preventing passage through the basket and a remote control for operating the latter means.

5. In a game of the character described, a basket, a backboard, means for supporting the basket in front of the backboard, an arm swingably supported by the board with freedom of movement between a positionbehind the front face of the board and a position over the basket, meansnormally holding the arm in the firstnamed position and means operable from a distance for swinging the arm over the basket.

6. In a game of the character described, a contest area for opposing parties, baskets mounted at opposite ends of the contest area, each being adapted to receive a ball when thrown by one of the parties, movable means for each basket for closing the same against the passing of the ball, electro-magnetic means for operating the latter means, means for throwing a light beam across the contest area midway between the baskets, and light-sensitive means operable by. the interception of the light beam for operating the electro-magnetic means.

JOSEPH D. BELL. 

